


Rising Past the Ashes

by AncientElemental



Series: Power Rangers meets Transformers [1]
Category: Power Rangers, Power Rangers Wild Force, Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Prime
Genre: Aliens, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Crossover, Gen, Magic, Taylor's used to the weird at this point having fought demons, and met time travelers and mutants and aliens
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:55:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27429040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AncientElemental/pseuds/AncientElemental
Summary: Taylor Earhardt's been hearing rumors from some airmen contacts she's kept since transferring from the Air Force to Lightspeed. They've been chatting about strange sightings and happenings in northern Nevada. After getting permission from Carter and Admiral Mitchell, she's headed out to investigate what's up in the desert. Little does she know that what's she carrying on her on the trip seems to get the attention of the Decepticons and she's got a whole lot more to deal with atop of her usual job of being a Guardian of the Earth and the universe.
Series: Power Rangers meets Transformers [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2005270
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

The first thing to know about Nevada is that it can seem barren to the human eye for miles on end. But tossing out that fact should be important to you because the Nevada desert is not as barren as it appears to be. At least, it doesn’t to Taylor Earhardt. She’s out here on a mission.

She’s been hearing some rumors from some Air Force personnel she knew in Nevada about a secret military project going on somewhere in northern Nye County. She’s also been hearing rumors about things that “can’t be human” out in the desert. Naturally, this got her community curious and annoyed. The Department of Defense doesn’t seem to remember that there is an entire agency designed for this and has already proven itself once before when it comes to facing hostile inhuman enemies. But, her former employers have always been a bit clingy and secretive when it comes to things that they presume a threat to the United States. No bother.

She easily convinced Carter and Admiral Mitchell that it would be good to send at least one of the Morphin Grid representatives out to check. It was better to send one of the ones who can fake their way through the military bureaucracy the best. So, why not send the former Air Force fighter pilot out to Nevada where she was trained? Makes for a much better cover story.

Besides, Taylor prefers the open roads. She really prefers the open skies, but it was better to go on foot, and it was better not to reveal too much to a potential enemy. Not yet, at least.

She had stopped a few times to rest and get a bite to eat, but it was nearing 10 hours on the bike at this point. Gas was probably low on the Harley-Davidson, so it might be a good time to stop. Locals a while back said that Jasper was coming up, and it was the closest to civilization around here you can get beside Tonopah.

She turned back to make sure that the bag was still secure on the seat of the motorcycle. She didn’t want to have to explain losing her uniforms, especially if she has to be official towards any Department of Defense officials.

As the sun was starting to sink below the mountaintops, a sign appeared on the left side of the highway.

City Limit: Jasper.

Down below, it looked more populated  than even Tonopah more than 50 miles back. With its location, Jasper was probably an old military town that was at its height back during the Cold War.

Taylor hoped she could find a hotel to check into for the night. It’s gonna be a long journey down to Nellis AFB from out here. This might be the most populated area she will encounter till she gets down to the Las Vegas suburbs.

As she passes through the city limits, she spots a sign for a motel that could offer her a vacant room. If she has to, she’ll flash her active duty ID. She then looks around for a gas station to fuel up, both her and the bike.

Once she finds one, she slows down to make the turn into the gas station. School must be out because she sees a couple of high school kids hanging out around town. They also seem to be checking her out, but they probably don’t get that many visitors around here and probably not ones riding the expensive bike she’s riding now. She’ll have to remember to thank Wes for getting it for her as a present.

She pulls up at a tank and takes her motorcycle helmet off, resting it on the handlebars. She’s grateful she decided to put her hair into a standard regulation bun as she checks for helmet hair in the bike’s mirror. But, she’s had experience wearing a helmet for long periods of time in the air and on the ground. After adjusting her leather gloves, she walks into the service station to pay the cashier for a full tank. He doesn’t seem like much of a talker. After deciding to pick up a soda, a couple of protein bars, and a bag of beef jerky, she heads to the register. She answers a few questions from the middle-aged, slightly overweight guy working behind the counter. He asks the usuals - where she’s from and where she’s headed. He seems impressed by the bike she points to outside, despite saying she came from the California coast. Saying she’s an Air Force vet also appears to put her in his good graces as well. She asks him a question about the motel, and thankfully, there do happen to be vacant rooms for the night as far as he can tell. After she pays him, she turns to walk out with her goods. Just then, she hears...

“Ma’am,” the cashier says. “Be careful with that bike. Kids ‘round here aren’t used to a beauty like that. Probably either try to wreck it, vandalize it, or steal it.”

Taylor smirks to herself. She then whips around to face the cashier.

“Don’t worry about it, sir. I’ve got my form of protection that should work just fine”. Taylor declared.

When she turned back around, the cashier swore he could hear an eagle’s cry that almost sounded like thunder. When nobody else who was milling about the store gave a reaction, he shook his head and went back to the crossword puzzle in front of him on the counter.

Taylor once again smirked as she walked back towards the bike. It’s been nearly twenty years, but she’s still got it and still connected to both the Grid and the Earth in more ways than one.

When Taylor knew that she wasn’t alone in the desert, she didn’t just mean the creatures in the desert surrounding the highway. She also meant her companion who is currently sitting on top of the seat of her bike.

Ahead of her is a golden eagle glistening with transparent yellow energy. The one responsible for the ghostly cry the cashier got spooked by back there.

She rolled her eyes and chuckled as the bird cried back at her.

“You know, sometimes you can get a bit arrogant.” the eagle called out in its cry.

“True. But, I don’t think you want to be bested by a bunch of bored high school kids with nothing better to do. It’s not like getting bested by Shane and his friends who can move faster than the eye can see.” Taylor retorted back under her breath as not to draw too much attention

Once she got back to the bike, she hooked up the gas pump and waited for it to hit a full tank. While leaning back on the bike with the eagle still perched on the seat, Taylor mentally checked over all of her belongings she packed. Her pistol was in a concealed holster on her waist. Her Crystal Saber was tucked into another holster on her waist that resembled a knife holder. Her uniforms, both her light blue service uniform and her navy blue service dress uniform, were packed in her bag on the back of the motorcycle along with a change of clothes and much-needed hygienic items. Both a cell phone and a communication device were on her person. She could feel her swords and her bow’s presence near her in case she needed to summon them. And three of the most important items on her person, her Growl Phone, her Animal Crystal, and the Heart of the Master stone, were in her leather jacket’s pockets. She needed to be ready for whatever she found out in the desert, even if it turned out to be nothing.

As she waited for the gas tank to fill up, her eyes caught a teenage boy who looked like he was getting out of work at the restaurant down the road. He was approaching a blue motorcycle parked in the restaurant's parking lot. From what she could see, the boy appeared to be talking to the bike—nothing out of the ordinary there. Plenty of people craft personas for their vehicles and talk to them when they are out alone on the road.

Once he puts on his helmet, he drives a short distance to the gas station she’s parked at. He stops the bike, parking it in a spot, and taking off the helmet he just put on. When he passes by her, he seems to look at the bike with awe before rushing into the store. She chuckled to herself.  Look like she’s found a motorcycle enthusiast.

She decided to look at the GPS to see how long tomorrow’s leg of the journey would take. Just as she saw that she was at the crossroads of what is known as the Extraterrestrial Highway, she saw the kid speeding out of the store with a bag in tow. He was moving so fast; however, he seems to have missed the crack in the pavement and took a fall to the ground. Taylor dropped the GPS on the seat, much to the annoyance of her eagle friend, who cried out at her in annoyance, and rushed over to where the boy was now on the ground.

If Taylor wasn’t hyperfocused on helping the boy, she might have noticed the blue motorcycle seeming to edge closer to where the boy was all on its own. However, Taylor wasn't the only one with extra good senses. The motion caught the eagle’s eye who decided to fly up and perch on top of the station to view the scene better and try to gauge what just occurred with both his partner, the boy now on the ground, and the motorcycle that seemed to just have moved.

As the boy was getting up, thankfully landing on his hands and knees and seemed to have not hit his head on the concrete, Taylor arrived and crouched down near him.

"Hey, kid. You OK?” she said with concern underlying in her voice.

He turns to her and gives a chuckle with a tone that she almost recognizes from her training days when everyone tried to shrug off the pain at the end of each day.

“Yeah. Yeah. I’m good.” he replies as he tries to shake Taylor off.

Taylor, however, wants to make sure he’s OK, so as he tries to get up by himself, she gives him an assist. He turns to give her a glare, but she already has a counterpoint.

“Kid, your glare is nothing compared to my husband’s when I first met him. Stubborn lone wolf, was he. Still is. Anyway, there's nothing wrong with getting a little assistance.”

“I’m not a kid.” he snarks back as he dusts off his worn-out jeans.

“Yeah. Yeah. Sure, you aren’t.” Taylor snarks back, repeating the same lines he used on her earlier, but then gives a small smile. “Doesn’t mean that I’ll underestimate you either. Given the people I know, that would be a stupid idea to do.”

The kid seemed confused at the line, but Taylor expected that. Most people didn’t realize that some of the people saving the Earth and the universe from death and destruction were around this kid’s age and even younger.

“You got a name, so I can stop calling you kid, then?” she asked and reached out her hand.

The boy looked down at her hand before reaching out with his hand to shake her hand.

“Jack Darby,” he said pausing. “And you are…?”

“Taylor Earhardt,” she replied. “I see you were checking out my bike back there.”

Seeming to have caught in an act, Jack placed his right hand on the back of his neck and looked down. “You noticed?”

“Well, it was kinda hard not to, since you were looking past me and looking at the bike instead. I also see you’re a biker yourself. Apparently one with good tastes, judging by the bike you’ve got over there?”

“Well, she’s one of a kind.”

“ She ?” Taylor amusingly replied.

Taylor must have been hitting all of Jack’s embarrassments in the first few minutes of meeting him because he proceeded to start stuttering as he had before. She apparently needed to reassure the boy that she was clearly not the judgmental type before he panicked himself into falling to the ground once more.

“Goddess above, you gonna freeze up every time I ask you about bikes? Thought us rider types were supposed to be cool and confident.” Taylor jested. “Give me one minute. Gotta make sure I’m not taking up room if my gas has finished pumping.”

Taylor turned back around to walk back towards her bike, feeling the fabric of her blouse caress against her skin. The click-clack of her riding boots echoed in the quiet afternoon. The lack of loud noise made her somewhat on edge. At least when she was on the road, Hyperion kept up his chatter through cries as he swooped and dipped in the sky above her.

Her paranoia was about to be proved right as two unmanned cars seemed to approach from the south and were headed straight towards the gas station.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you've enjoyed the first part of the story.
> 
> So, this is my first crossover. While I've done crossover between Power Rangers seasons, I've never done a crossover between properties. Both my introductions into both franchises, Power Rangers and Transformers, had me scoff them off when I was younger. So, it's rather funny that these are my first two properties to crossover then. It's also cool because we could soon see these properties truly crossover as Power Rangers has been acquired by Hasbro and there is interest in having these two franchise crossover on the big and/or small screen
> 
> I got my introduction into Power Rangers thanks to a Youtuber and my introduction into Transformers was from my younger cousin, who was playing with a bunch of Transformers toys that were based on the Rescue Bots cartoon, another series in the Aligned continuity. This isn't my only Power Rangers/Transformers crossover I'll be writing in this continuity either since both franchises have entries that have to do with family and rescue work. 
> 
> I've incorporated a bit of stuff from the Boom Studios comics, particularly a certain artifact that comes into play and is the catalyst for the crossover in this story, and things from other parts of the Power Rangers franchise. Also, Taylor might be a little more powered than she is on the show due to some things that will be explained later. 
> 
> Taylor won't be the only Power Rangers character we will see so stay tuned for some more down the road.
> 
> Also, I'm currently in college. So, I'll be trying to update this as much as I can regularly. It might be slow in the next few weeks as I work on my assignments for the end of the semester.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone. I am sorry to have kept everyone waiting for so long for the next chapter. I've been having some issues writing even when given time over winter break and I am now back in college with a semester that already feels like hell despite having fewer credits than last semester.
> 
> This chapter sets up a little bit more of a dynamic between Jack and Taylor with hints of the action to come. So, there's less so much with action and more dialogue and building of a dynamic.
> 
> I have worked on future parts of the story, but I just need to work on writing the scenes to fill in the gaps between those sections. I am going to try to get out Chapter 3 as soon as possible, but that chapter will require a lot more action scenes which I haven't written in a while, so I want to make sure I'm not rusty to give you all the best possible product I can. 
> 
> Anyway, onto the long-awaited chapter.

Unfortunately for Taylor, one of the items on her possession seemed to be radiating out power and happened to pick up on the sensors of a certain alien warship.

The Vehicon in charge of the monitoring system noticed a faint signal a few hours back heading east. The signal kept getting stronger as it kept moving, reaching its strongest once it had passed through the organic town of Tonopah. It was unsure what the signal was, but considering the signal was headed towards Jasper, where the Decepticons had encountered the Autobots before, it could be a new ally for the enemy. 

As such, he radioed his superior officer, Intelligence Officer and Third-in-Command of the Decepticons Soundwave, to share with him the intel gathered. 

The silent Decepticon standing behind him seemed to approve of the discovery, which brought relief to the Vehicon, who went back to work tracing the signal. 

The third in command then sent the intel remotely to his lord, indicating a request to send out a scouting mission to check it out. He got a ping of approval back and proceeded to form a team of two Vehicons to find out what the energy source was. 

_Whatever it was, he hoped that they could determine what it was soon_.  Soundwave thought to himself. _ Despite the Decepticons having greater numbers and resources, anything that gave the Autobots a slight advantage wouldn’t make their victory easier. It is better to squash their hopes out now and quell this new threat to the Decepticon cause than letting it grow and fester.  _

* * *

"So, what brings you to Jasper?” Jack asked while walking over to Taylor’s bike. She was currently reattaching the GPS she threw down on the seat back up on the bike's dashboard.

“I’m just resting for the night. I’ve been out on the road for nearly 10 hours and need a place to stop. I've been just traveling eastward for this part of the trip.”

“10 hours? Wow! Where did you come from?”

“Around the Bay Area, a little bit north of Mariner Bay. Been mostly traveling on Route 6 since I crossed over the Nevada border.”

“So, you said that you’re only partway through your trip?”

“Yep, I’m headed down to Las Vegas.”

“Figures.” 

“Yeah, no. I’m not here to party," Taylor snarked. "I would have probably stayed around here and taken in the scenery if I could. Reason that I didn’t fly from Mariner Bay to Las Vegas. Wanted to get some hours on the bike even if I’m more on a business trip.”

“What do you do for a living, then?”

“Well, I’m a former pilot in the Air Force, actually.”

“Really?” Jack’s voice filled with intrigue.

“Yep. I was actually trained as a fighter pilot down at Nellis AFB, which is where I’m headed and just so happens to be in Las Vegas. No longer in the Air Force, though.”

“So if you’re no longer in the Air Force, why are you headed down to an Air Force base? There a reunion going on?”

“Said I wasn’t in the Air Force. Doesn’t mean that I still don’t wear a uniform. I just transferred to a different service instead. I’m currently a Captain in the Lightspeed Commissioned Officer Corps.”

“Officer corps?”

“Yeah. Most people know about the Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard. But, the Armed Forces are part of a group of eight uniformed services. Besides Lightspeed, the other two are NOAA’s Commissioned Officer Corps and the Public Health Service Commissioned Officer Corps. No enlisted members in these three services. We focus more on science or medicine or research or diplomacy rather than combat, or law enforcement in the case of the Coast Guard.”

“Must be a shift then from flying jets, huh?”

“It’s definitely not all desk work, and I still find ways to get some thrills into my life.”

“Riding?” Jack inquired.

“That’s one way. There are other ways as well.”

“Such as?”

“I’m not telling you yet. We just met.”

“Yeah, but I’ll probably never see you again.”

“Hey. You don’t know. Universe’s got a way  of connecting unlikely people together.”

Jack was about to retort against that notion, but he couldn’t really complain due to who he’s happened to have met. 

“Besides, could be classified. Don't want to have to take in someone for spilling government secrets." Taylor laughed. She then pointed to the bag that Jack had previously dropped when he tripped. It was now in his hands again. "What was with the rush with the supplies in the bag, anyway?” she inquired.

“It’s for my mom. I thought I would get her something nice since she’s always so busy.”

“What does your mom do?”

“She’s a nurse at the local hospital.”

“Let me guess. Always stressed out with long shifts.”

“You got it. How did you-?”

“Lightspeed does work with emergency responders such as paramedics, and that’s a common sentiment among most medical professionals.” Taylor interrupted.

While Taylor and Jack were talking, Hyperion kept scouting up above on the gas station's roof. Something didn't feel right to the eagle spirit. He didn't understand how his partner hadn't noticed the motorcycle's movement, who he was keeping a close eye on. She was usually more hyperaware of potential threats, but he understood that she was being a sisterly figure right now. Probably not that many bikers around here, so having someone to talk to about it is probably exciting for the boy. He can't deny them that. He's found a good one. Hyperion sure knows that.

There's a reason he chose his partner and stuck with her. He might masquerade as a pet or a wild animal or a falconing bird to others when he takes on a more solid and tangible form. But, him and Taylor. They're  _Partners_.  _Companions_.  Friends. They chat and banter and support each other. They're equals, not master and servant. It doesn't matter if human society doesn't get that. His partners' companions understand and respect him. That's good enough for him. Also, it is fun to pull the wool over other people's eyes.

But, something else moving in the distance alerted Hyperion out of his stupor. Two cars seemed to move down the street. Their finishes were darker, most likely the color black to appear ominous to the onlooker, with lighter purple highlights accenting them. Their fast movement, along with their darker finishes, set Hyperion on alert. She knew that Taylor and her companions have made enemies that could potentially get the civilian she's with in trouble.

But, something seems off about them. It gives him almost the same feeling as the motorcycle moving earlier.

He gave out a cry to his partner to refocus on a possible threat.

Taylor heard it and looked around to find Hyperion. Jack gave her a funny look, probably because he couldn't see or hear him. But at the moment, she didn't care. Hyperion wouldn't interrupt her if it weren't something important, especially since there is no mission to complete around here as of yet.

Once she caught his attention up on the roof, he tilted and bobbed his head towards the road. She whipped her head around.

The cars were still speeding down the road. That same unsettling feeling she had felt while walking towards the bike and the same one that unsettled Hyperion was back again.

While Taylor was focusing on the cars, Jack was trying to pay attention to his own partner, shifting ever slightly to get his attention while trying not to alert the woman with him.

Jack then heard an intake of breath from Taylor as she looked at the Vehicons headed down the street. As he turned to look at her, she noticed her eyes were focused dead center on the car's driver and passenger seats—the seats with no drivers and passengers in them.

He then heard her murmur under her breath, "Guess I found what I was looking for."

Taylor thankfully knew hostiles when she saw one, especially with how these two looked like they could and would do a hit and run even if it required a detour that would take them through the gas station's windows to accomplish it. She swung her body and ran back towards the motorcycle, grabbing her helmet as she swung her legs over to get her onto the bike. She put on the helmet, adjusting it so it wouldn't bother her during the getaway, and shifted her weight onto the bike to be better balanced during the ride.

Jack was dumbfounded for only a minute at such a quick response from Taylor. But, he was knocked out of his stupor by the threat posed to him by the Vehicons, even if they were only footsoldiers in the Decepticon army. He ran back towards Arcee along with his bag in tow. He stuffed the bag inside his backpack, smashing many of its contents in the process. But, the fight or flight response was already in his head. He can make it up to his mother if need be again, even if he spent a lot of his pay to buy her the goods this time around. Can't do that if he's dead, though.

Both appeared to rev up their engines simultaneously, though Jack was only going through the motion to maintain Arcee's cover as she could do that all independently. Just as he finished adjusting his helmet, Arcee rode off, causing her to make a screech as she raced off down the street, heading for the edge of the city limits to get away from civilians if a fight broke out between her and the 'Cons.

As Jack looked back, he noticed that Taylor wasn't too far behind him, riding on her bike. It looked like she had the same idea of getting away from potential casualties. As he looked forward, he heard Arcee make a noise that sounded like she was clearing her throat.

"So, someone's got a crush," Arcee snarked.

Just as he had before, Jack started stuttering to try to counter the claim Arcee just made.

"I. I d-. I do not-. I don't-. Where did you get that  crazy idea from?"

"Relax. You know I only kid with you."

"Yeah.  That  was the impression I got from you with that question." Jack retorted back. He once again looked around to notice the Vehicons following him, Arcee, and Taylor. "What do you think the reason's for the welcoming committee? Usually, Vehicons are only sent when we're on a mission somewhere. Not for a regular mundane afternoon."

"Could be that Megatron has gotten sick of waiting to find out where our base is and is sending ground troops in the hopes that they will follow us to it," Arcee remarked. "I'll keep an eye on them and alert base if we need a groundbridge."

Jack looked back again at the Vehicons, paying more attention to Taylor than them. "What do you think's up with Taylor following us?" Jack inquired to Arcee as he turned his head back around again.

"Well, you know the area more than her. She probably presumes that you would know where to shake them if they weren't Vehicons. If this gets more dangerous, I'll find a way to shake her, so she doesn't get caught in the fire. Optimus wouldn't want a civilian harmed." Arcee vowed.

"And he probably doesn't want to hear Agent Fowler complain to him about allowing civilians harmed either. I think he might wear out Optimus' infinite patience." Jack replied, chuckling.

"I don't know if I'm scared or curious to find out what happens if Fowler manages to wear his patience out."

While Jack and Arcee were discussing the next course of action to avoid Taylor getting into the crossfire of the Decepticons, Taylor was trying to figure out how to shake these guys off of Jack's tail. If these guys were hostiles, she didn't want to involve a 16-year-old as a causality. She saw an opportunity to lead them away from the kid and allow him to get out of there. It would require more offroading than the bike could possibly handle, but she rather have her ride's tread damaged than have someone be injured or worse. Besides, she could always fix it up later. Losing these guys was more important.

She revved up the engine and leaned the bike into a hard swerve, screeching on the torn-up and cracked concrete below the bike's wheels. She leaned into the turn, letting the wind whip across her body. It stung in places that were uncovered or not covered enough. But, the pain was minuscule. She could walk it off later. The torn-up concrete road to nowhere bumped under her wheels. Hopefully, the Harley was more durable than two high-tech self-driving cars that look like they haven't seen a road beside a perfect mint condition testing track.

As Arcee kept driving along the highway, Jack looked into her rearview mirror. "Ah, Arcee, we might have a problem." he spluttered while his stomach dropped.

Arcee huffed. "What now, Jack?"

"Well. Our tagalong rider has just disappeared behind us along with the two Vehicons".

"What?!?"

"I can't see them behind me anymore."

Arcee then braked, making a screeching sound as she leaned into a U-turn to drive in the other direction. "We'll retrace then. Cons might have forced her off the road."

"Well, then. Let's go." Jack asserted, trying to hide to Arcee the butterflies that had just appeared in his stomach. Here comes another one of the Cons' plans to try to harm someone he just got close to. The Vehicons might have observed his conversation with Taylor and decided to take her as bait to force Optimus and the other Autobots' hands.

Speeding along the dirt road, Taylor tilted her head up to look up at Hyperion flying above her. She then nodded to get his attention while taking her right hand off the handle to point back at the two on her tail. He looked down, saw the nod and the hand motion, and cried out, swooping up. Taylor grinned under the helmet, teeth showing. She proceeds to jam her foot down on the brake, turning the vehicle counterclockwise, landing with the bike tilted on a bit of an angle as she stopped, facing the two speeding cars as she squinted her eyes to glare at them.


End file.
